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Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Today's mid-week feature comes to you from Brentwood, NH. Give it up for Rachel Grande - Designer and Creator over at Think Outside The Box! She's a real cool mom (and if she were mine, I would make HER cupcakes to make her day!) Know what makes her awesome in addition to her fabulous work? She tries to reuse as much packaging as she can, to be ecologically responsible. Way to go, Rachel!

She has perfect feedback, has made 65 sales, and looks to be off to a great start here on Etsy! Her one year Etsyversary passed in February, so go give her some love and snatch up some of these lovely creations!

What is your craft?Definitely not a question easily answered. I am quite eclectic in my crafting and the mediums I choose. I could never brand myself as just one particular type of artist. I indulge in needle felting...or obsess is more like it! I adore felt..any kind of felt..dabble in polymer clay..love to sew..learning about embroidery,,and my ADD is now allowing me to paper craft too..But there is much more to it and me...

How long have you been crafting?I think I knit myself a baby beanie while I was in the womb..Hey..it gets cold out there!Kinda gives a whole new meaning to the Vagina Monologues..doesn't it?

Other than crafting, what else do you do?What don't I do is the question at hand!...And I think it is all relative to who you ask! If you were to ask my 16 year old son..he would tell you that ALL I do is bitch..at him in particular..maybe nag a bit too. If you were to ask my 21 year old daughter..she would probably tell you that all I do is put up with everyone else's shit..If you were to ask my darling hubby..well first he'd give you a list of things I don't do...anymore..and then probably tell you that I don't do enough!

But, if you were to ask me..well I'd tell you what I do...I drive my ungrateful kid wherever he wants to go..I do put up with way more garbage than any person should..I do make dinner regularly like Edith Bunker..I do spend an abnormal amount of time with my dog..I do tons of laundry..I do pick up after everyone in my house..I do look the other way a LOT..I do consider myself to be a very understanding, loving, caring, sweet and kindhearted mother, wife, confidant, friend and person..and I DO complain about all of the above but I DO love them with all of my heart..well..most days!

What is your favorite part of what you create?Well my greatest creations are my two brats...and my favorite part of them is when they are either sleeping..or better yet..sleeping at someone else's house!

In all honesty..regarding my craft..this is going to sound so ridiculously cliche and such bullshit..but I do adore getting such positive and personal feedback from the people who buy my items..It is such a rush every time I hear from my customers..and it would seem that people always want to share their most intimate stories about my pieces..so I am very fortunate about that.

If you could change anything about your craft, would you?The only thing I'd change..is how it is marketed and exposed..especially on Etsy..I always feel that if I could just get more exposure..like the Front Page..then I'd be more successful...

What is one thing most people wouldn't know about you?Most people wouldn't know that I think my Jack Russell Terrier, Gracie is the incarnation of a beautiful Indian guide I call Carmella...and that on occasion Gracie actually responds to me when I call her that name!

What inspires you?Birds...the outdoors..money..my mortgage...feeding my kids..paying for college..car payments..electricity..dog food...doctor bills..I think you get where I am going with this!

Any words of advice for your fellow crafters or those who may be starting up?The most important thing..if starting to craft and make money while attempting to do it from home..is to get up and take a shower every morning..and invest in at least 5 pairs of comfortable and cute pajama bottoms. Second and equally as important..is to carve out a crafting area for yourself and be as organized as you can...even if you are in the living room...in front of the TV..have your supplies at hand and put together...

Rachel would like to offer a giveaway for you all, so here's the deal!Win your choice of her Bunny Ears Brooch (which will arrive just in time for Easter!) or a felted birdie ornament. YOU CHOOSE! (she'll even customize your colors and features!)

Here's what to do:Visit Rachel's shop at ThinkOutsideTheBox, and comment with what your favorite item is and which of the two items you'd like to win (We all know that people like options!) :)Please make sure you've left a way for me to contact you in case you win!For extra entries: (Post one extra comment for each task completed)1) Tweet about this giveaway, and leave a link to your tweet. (You can follow me @rocksmyworld if you'd like!)2) Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to your post3) Suscribe to my blog4) Subscribe to my newsletter(3 and 4 are different - There are seperate forms for each of these in the sidebar.. take a look!)

That's 5 possible entries for each of you! Good luck, and make sure to enter by Tuesday, March 31st at 11:59pm EST. That's when this contest is CLOSED, and a winner will be picked!

In addition Rachel is offering a discount of 25% off your entire order (before shipping) by using the code "VRMW25" in Notes to Seller at checkout. So go run quick and get to shopping before that expires! This discount is valid until the deadline for blog entries, so shop before next Tuesday night to cash in on this awesome deal.

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comments:

Fabulous!! Love how you put this together my friend..and I'd love for you to be my daughter and bake me cupcakes! I could sure use one right about now!!

Just wanted to add a special bonus to the giveaway..I will give the winner BOTH of the items.so you won't have to pick between them..each will be customized to your specifications..whatever colors you adore..so you get BOTH..the bunny ears AND the birdie!!!

I loved reading this feature on Rachel, she is very special and soooo talented and when I first started on etsy she gave me so much invaluable advice and fills me with inspiration every day! I love all of her work but the bunny ears do it for me at the moment, gotta have those bunny ears!:oD

VERY hard to pic just one fav from your shop!! I pick the "Love Bunny Couple" as my fav. BUT I also LOVE your Birds and the feathery nest is so cool! AND those Bunnies and the Flowers!!! Love them all!

I love everything!! I REALLY like the Hot Pink maribou feather nest pin with polymer clay bird eggs - and I'm really not a pin or brooch person, but I would so wear all of these designs!! I also really like the preppy plaid bunnies - LOVE them!

Great shop!!

If I'm so lucky to win, I would choose the bunny ears - I'm a library media specialist at an elementary school and I need to jazz it up a bit for the kiddies! :)

wonderful giveaway. My favorite is the Psychedelic neon color blue/green/yellow felt Rose flower hair clip and if I win I would like that and the Chocolate cupcake with vanilla swirls polymer clay earrings. Awesomeness. Thank you!